SOLDIERS’ WELFARE COMMITTEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18875, 30 May 1923, Page 11

SOLDIERS’ WELFARE COMMITTEE

The; following is the quarterly report of the Otago Soldiers’ and Dependents’ Welfare Committee:—During the period under review three meetings of the General Committee and 11 meetings of the Claims Committee were held, 179 applications from returned soldiers being dealt with, 32 of which were declined after earc.ful investigation, 1 and the balance were dealt with,'as stated hereunder:—Fortyeight grants were made amounting to £l7B 17s Id, and in 17 cases temporary allowances were authorised at an average to each soldier of £2 10s per week. These allowances were made to enable the applicants, who were certified unfit for work, to maintain their dependents pending a suitable adjustment in their pensions. Communications were entered into with the Defence Department requesting the department to expediate consideration of the claims lodged on account of these men. Consideration was deferred in 18 cases to enable the applicants to forward ful 1 particulars regarding their claims. These cases were all suitably disposed of. Nineteen applications were investigated on behalf of other societies, and particulars of each case together with the committee's recommendation thereon was forwarded to the responsible society to be dealt with. Two applications were investigated at the request of the National War Funds Council, and three on behalf of the Sheepowners’ Fund, the committee’s recommendation being given effect to in each case. Two applications were referred to the Returned Soldiers’ Association and two to the I/ands Board, Three loans wero granted, totalling £223, and nine mortgages were discharged, the Inst instalment of the loans having been repaid, while in 18 cases tho conditions regarding repayment of loans wero varied. In one case, owing to an alteration in family circumstances, .a retrospective allowance which is being disbursed by tho committee was made payable to another guardian. Two allowances were discontinued on receipt of advice from the Pensions Department that the soldiers had been accepted as a charge on that department, and that, the first instalment of their pensions had become payable. Three application!) wero handed to the committee’s honorary lady visitor, Mrs Park, and were dealt with in accordance with the applicant’s request. Applications were taken as usual from men not certified as suffering a war disability, and these men were granted such assistance as their circumstances warranted. At the beginning of the quarter the funds in hand for dealing .with these cases amounted to £145 15s 7d, The expenditure for the 1 quarter totalled £92’ 17s lid, leaving' a balance of £52 17s Sd carried forward at the beginning of the present quarter. Apnlications for emergency " grants were taken from men who served in the mercantile marine, and dealt with at the office in accordance with instructions received from that society regarding claims of this nature, while Imperial soldiers were assisted on behalf of tho National War Funds Council. As a result of instructions received from these two societies, the committee is now enabled to deal with all men who served in any capacity during tho late war.